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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-08-02, Page 7- Former Golden Bear hoopster is Back in that hi h life a BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff His high hopes of da' zling drives to the hoop in "the Show" are dimming fast but Ron Vercruyzen still feels lucky he makes a living playing a game. The 27 -year-old professional basketball player from the Walton area who, at one inch shy of 7 -feet tall, spends his time closer to ceilings than most of us, returns to Europe this week to prepare for.his third season playing for Aalst in Belgium's first Division. It's not the National Basket- ball Association or the Canadian Olympic team - but it is still an honest living, and a long way from the Walton store where Ron used to pedal in on his bike by the corn fields from the farm on mor- nings of b -ball season so coaches Mary Thompson or Ron Godkin could pick him up and drive him to midget prac- tices at Seaforth District High School. He towered over local op- position when playing for the Golden Bears of SDHS for five seasons in the early 1980s, helping them to three district titles and twice to within a whisker of Ontario crowns. He got cut from a tryout with the expansion Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association at the end of May. "I went to the camp with mixed feelings but it didn't work out," Vercruyzen says. "Not everybody can be Michael Jordan. "I was not good enough, maybe a lot of guys wouldn't be that honest. It kind of took the wind out of my sails. "But I've got a good job irr Belgium. I hope Toronto does well." Ron is a large lad at 6' 11" and "somewhere around 245 to 250 pounds." He is a centre, considered a defensive specialist, who averaged 10 points and 37 minutes per game last season. Blocking shots is his forte, a skill he has led his league in for the .past two seasons. He is also one of the top rebounders in the best Belgian division. He was Rookie of the Year in 1993-94. He says most games his role is to cover the other team's best player, "usually an American." Belgian teams are allowed two imports. Vercruyzen has duel Canadian -Belgian citizenship so isn't officially one of these. His father was born in Belgium. But Ron knows a thing or two about these brash and talented American imports too, having played five seasons on a scholarship for St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia's "Big -5" after tearing up the high school backboards in this area. It was on Philly's "hard - knocks" college courts Ron learned the finer points of his game. Here .hoops is played with much hoopla, fans are knowledgeable experts on the intricacies of the game and competition on court is ferocious. He also majored in industrial relations _ when at 'school. He's been playing basketball competitively for 13 years now. RON VERCRUYZEN - now 27, of the Walton area basketball player in Belgium's First Division. trouble handling players a half - foot shorter on the opposition. moon's high-school coach also remembers the' -line he kept drilling in his head to help him handle these early frustrations: "Ron - A 6' 6" player is al- ways going to be just 6' 6"1" Vercruyzen says the games he most remembers from his high school years were in grade 11 when Seaforth, then about the smallest basketball school in Huron -Perth, upset the glory team from Stratford Central to win the conference in 1984. GREGOR CAMPBELL PHOTO is a whisker under 7 -feet tall and a star He expects to play for maybe two more. NOW THAT'S TALL ! Way back when all this began up the road near Walton, one of the players who was on last season's senior Golden Bears, then knee-high to a gopher, was visiting relatives next to Rene and Jenny, Ron's parent's farm on the 8th Con- cession of Morris Township. This plaYer remembers running through Ron's legs while playing pick-up b -ball in the backyard court. Vercruyzen is the tallest player Terry Johnston has coached in his 25 seasons in basketball at the local high school. Johnston says Ron was about as tall as he is now, but 20 to 25 pounds lighter his half - decade in Seaford'. The coach adds he was awkward his first seasons and although the tallest player in the conference he had ► - - •-�W��--- - •r— G(r\l:I(\\il:.\l (il'.\Il\\III I)"IRIP BONDS '+c 1 '40, .4 0,Financial 1 ,+ o, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR WITH REVENUE CANADA? Improper tax and estate planning can rob your family of thousands of hard earned dollars. In many cases, 50% of ones' assets can be lost! I CAN HELP YOU! Mark J. McLIwain Metlife 183 Main Street; Exeter Ont. (519) 235-1344 My services... Need Analysis Tax Deferred Savings Pian : (RRSP's, RRIF's and Annuities) s _ S< GIC's & Investment Funds Insurance Planning (Life, Group and Disability) % • Retirement & Estate Planning f ; •ESTATE ;i j 1 / ,` ,0 ; 0 ,0 ,0 J 0 ,� ,0 Group RRSP's and Pensions I'll) Ix( LU./( \\ \I,\ GO\I:k\NII:XLit( \I)ti (..,„",f,"ho 3 years 7.119 7ears 8.257 y 10 years 8.676 18• g 811 years• OIlll:lt I'll(rl)1 ( is \\I► ;1:1?Vi( I:` • RRSPs, RRIFs, LIFs, • Mutual Funds • stocks & Bonds • Mortgage -Backed Securities • Treasury Bilis Education Savings Plans - _ r_ subject to change without notice. "up to the minute" rates and special rates for large call Paul Bode . Investment Advisor (519) 679-0260 P•il- Toll Free 1-800-265-4119 Vercruyzen says nowadays his height is about par for the course for centres in the Bel- gian First Division, but he's heavier than most playing the position in the league. Vercruyzen figures time is ticking so, realistically, the end of his career isn't too far around the corner. When you get into your 30s the best you can hope for is to be a backup centre and the dollars go down, he explains. Not that its "Showtime" in the bright lights with Ron see DESPITE page 8. TNI HURON EXPOSITOR, Asst t. ISH -7 HIGHPE - ORMANCE HOCKEYPRE-SEASON TRAINING For University and Jr. "A" to "D" players 12 hours of on ice training+3 hours of micro -circuit weight trainig per session Arrive at comp in shape, and make that team! Session 1 - August 20 - 25 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Seaforth Arena Sessions run by Brion O'Reilly - R.F.A., O.F.I., O.L.P., N.C.C.P. - Level #2 Quality training - Attaining _Goals Cost - 1 session - $100. Make cheques payable to Quality Training For information call: 527.1272 - Atone or 522-1032 - Brian Nome: Health Card# Address: Sig. of Parent Phone Number Ape Team & Level Played Session Full Equipment Only Send To: Seaforth Arena 122 Duke Sheet, Seaforth, ON NOK 1 Wb Huron County Entrepreneurs are invited to attend a Seminar How To Start A Small Business (Free to Attend) Wednesday, Aug. 9, 1995 12:00 pm (Noon) at OMAFRA Office 100 Don Street Clinton, Ontario Sponsored by The Huron Business Development Corporation To Register Or For More Information, Contact Donna at (519) 527-0305 BEST RATES as of July 31, 1995 (ince;.\\ 1 1 1 1) \\I,, I1 VI (1.12111 I( \ll.' G(r\l:I(\\il:.\l (il'.\Il\\III I)"IRIP BONDS 1 year 6.25 3 years 6.80 " 5 years 7.40 3 years 7.93 6 years 8.43 12 years 9.27 I'll) Ix( LU./( \\ \I,\ GO\I:k\NII:XLit( \I)ti (..,„",f,"ho 3 years 7.119 7ears 8.257 y 10 years 8.676 18• g 811 years• OIlll:lt I'll(rl)1 ( is \\I► ;1:1?Vi( I:` • RRSPs, RRIFs, LIFs, • Mutual Funds • stocks & Bonds • Mortgage -Backed Securities • Treasury Bilis Education Savings Plans • Rates and availability • For other maturities, amounts please subject to change without notice. "up to the minute" rates and special rates for large call Paul Bode . Investment Advisor (519) 679-0260 P•il- Toll Free 1-800-265-4119 Fax: 679-3858 mcNARDSOM Home: (519) 773-2915 GESINSHIRDS t 1 148 Fullanon Street, 20th Floor, London, Ontario N6A 5P3 Member OCR* The 741/ "½fW Liirds3Pc arra 92a Tuesday, August 8 th, 1995 Listen for the I�'pi VA \-[rX.ii `___,fir